Never Too Old

After celebrating Evan’s birthday yesterday and making my comment about my age, I thought this story from Wellington, New Zealand, was quite appropriate to share. It seems that a reptile in New Zealand has unexpectedly become a father at the ripe old age of 111.

The centenarian tuatara, named Henry, was thought well past the mating game until he was caught canoodling with a female named Mildred last March—a consummation that resulted in 11 babies being hatched.

Henry was at least 70 years old when he arrived at the museum, “a grumpy old man,” who attacked other reptiles, including females, until a cancerous tumor was removed from his genitals in 2002.

The museum now has 72 of the reptiles after 42 hatchings in the past two years. The museum’s director hopes to use Henry regularly in the breeding program that is helping expand tuatara numbers after they had been savaged by predators.

A male tuatara takes 70 years to fully mature but reaches sexual maturity about age 20.

Okay, I feel better now. And, not nearly as old!

Bald, Beautiful, and Hired!

[Note, not my actual bald head!]

Well, I’ve finally found a second job that won’t cut into my primary job!

I’ve decided to fly to New Zealand and take them up on their job opening.

It seems that New Zealand needs bald men!

Air New Zealand is offering to pay bald travelers to stand in lines in three airports—while wearing temporary tattoos on the back of their heads so the displays can be seen by people lining up behind them.

The airline will pay $660 for each walking billboard, a company official said.

The tattoos will promote a new system that is meant to reduce check-in waiting times.

Air New Zealand marketing manager Steve Bayliss described the campaign as “a bit of fun.”

“It’s a tattoo on the back of someone’s head, so they have to have their head shaved or be bald already,” he told National Radio on Wednesday. “It will be an advantage for them to be bald already.”

The tattoos would fade or wash off after about two weeks, he said.

So, if you don’t hear much from me over the next couple of weeks, you’ll understand. I’ll be in New Zealand, walking around the airport, showing off my bald head!

Any one want to go with me?